Vault lock



Dec. 20, 1932.

c. J. WEGNER 1,891,296

VAULT LOCK Filed Nov. 50. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 20, 1932. WEGNER 1,891,296

VAULT LOCK I Filed Nov. 30, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. J Nea'nez'. 851 7 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED sr-Mas PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE .1. WEGNER, or GALION, OHIO, ASSIGNQB r PERFECTION BURIAL VAULT COMPANY, OF GALION, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO VAULT LOCK Application filed November 30, 1931. Serial No. 578,098.

An object of this invention is to provide a lock for grave vaults which will securely hold the vault locked to the base in any position in. which it may be placed but which may be readily released to permitaccess to the casket in the event of a disinterment. The invention provides a lock which will yield to the downward movement of the vault body 7 or cover and will automatically moveinto 10 looking engagement therewith when the same has assumed its position upon the base, and also provides means which may be manipulated by the foot or hand of an operator to release the lockand permit the cover or vault 1 body to be raised from the base. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is an end view of a grave vault, partly broken away, having the improved lock embodied therein, 7 Fig. 2 i's'a' similar side view of a portion ofthevault, i i

j Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing thelock in side elevation and the vault in vertical section.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken at right angles, the plane of the section shown in Fig. 4 being indicated by the line 4-4.- in Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4:.

' The vault comprises a base-member 1 and I a body member, or cover, 2 which are constructed ofrmetal and are intended to completely house the casket, indicated at 3. The

base member constitutes a hollow pedestal upon which the casket will rest when the 40 parts are all in assembled position, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2, and around the lower edges of this pedestal is a flange or foot 4 upon which the cover 2 will rest. The cover, or body member, of the vault is generally equipped with e handles,

indicated at 5, and may be given any desired ornamental contour. The body, or cover, is preferably an integral structurehaving an openbottom and having the edges of its sides and ends turned inwardly,,as shown at 6, to constitute feet which will rest upon the flangea, as clearly shownin Figs. 3, at and 5, the inner edge of the flange, or foot, 6 being turned upwardly, as shown at 7. The raised portion of the base or pedestal is of less width and length thanrthe cover so. that a space is provided around the entire pedestal to accommodate the inwardly eXtending portions, 6 and 7 of the cover, as shown, and provide for the ready operation of the lock. At each corner ofthe pedestal, there is pivoted a sub: stantially triangular locking member 8 which is pivoted at its apex upon a rivet or headed pivot pin 9 which is secured firmly in-the wall of the pedestal, as shown, the greater portion of the locking body being eccentric to the pivot so that the lock will swing con-. stantly downwardly and toward the cover under the influence of gravity. As clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the lower side of'the triangular locking body 8 is of arcuate formation, portions thereof being upon, difierent radii although concentric with the pivot so that a shoulder '10 is produced adapted to limit the downward and outward movement of the lock by engagement with the upturned margin 7 of the cover or body member. It will also be noted that this arrangementcauses astraight side of the lock tonormally project-outwardly from the pedestal and pre sent an inclined surface to the downwardly moving cover so that, when the cover engages this inclined straight surface or side of the triangular body, the lock will be pushed aside, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, automatically returning to the position shown in full lines in said figure when the cover reaches its position upon the flange of the pedestal. When the lock reaches the position shown'in full lines in Fig. 3 and in Fig. 4:,it will project across the edge 7 of the cover, as shown, andwill thereby resist upward movement of the cover and hold the cover securely to the base. 1 The lockingbody 8 is provided with an arcuate recess 11, on its inner side adjacent its lower edge and concen trio with said edge, in which recess is housed an expansion spring 12 which bears, at one end, against the end of said recess immediate 1y adjacent the shoulder 10 and, at. its opposite end, against a lug 13, formed on the pedestal and housed within the recess. Upon reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the lug 13 is spaced from the end of the recess 11 in the normal position of the lock and, con sequently, it serves as a stop to limit the movement of the lock to operative position. \Vhile, under some conditions, the shoulder 10 may swing against the marginal portion 7 of the cover, the purpose of the particular arrangement, shown and described, is to furnish a preponderance of weight at the inner side of the vertical plane of the pivot and provide ample accommodation for the expansion spring so that it will operate efficiently without any interference from the releasing element. Betweenthe recess 11 and the pivotal point of the look, a chamber 14 is formed therein and this chamber receives the working end of a releasing element. The releasing element is in the form: of a rock shaft 15 j ournaled in'a boss or other bearing 16 provided therefor upon the wall of the pedestal and having, at one end, a short crank 17 which is disposed within the recess 14 and is adapted to bear against the adjacent wall of the recess so that, when the shaft is rocked, the lock will be turned about its pivot, out of engagement with the cover. Theend of the rock shaft opposite the crank 17 is disposed within the hollow portion of the pedestal, as shown in Fig. 5, and is formed into a longer crank 18 having an enlarged end 19 so that its weight will tend to hold the crank 17 in the vertical position shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the vertical plane of the bearing for the rock shaft 15 is at-one side of the vertical plane of the pivot 9 so that the: shaft is eccentric to the pivot and, when it is rocked, the crank 17 will positively engage the side wall of the chamber 14 to turn the lock about its pivot. To engage the cover with the pedestal, the cover is simply pushed down over the pedestal and, as it descends, the foot portion'6 thereof will ride on the inclined side edge of the lock presented thereto and will swing the look, as has been stated and as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. When the edge 7 of the cover clears the corner of the lock, the lock will swing to the position shown in Fig. 4 and by the full lines in Fig. 3 under the influence of its own weight and of the expansion spring 12 so that it will then project over the edge 7 of the'cover and will hold it firmly to the base or pedestal. One of the locks is provided at each corner of the base and they will work simultaneously so that no particular attentionneed be given them. When an interment is to be made, the base or pedestal is lowered into the grave and the casket is lowered onto the pedestal, care being observed to have the casket properly centered upon the pedestal. The vault body or cover is then lowered over the casket onto the base and will completely house the casket. In the event of a disinterment, the handles on the casket are engaged by the usual lifting implements and withdrawn from the grave, the locks holding the cover firmly to the base so that the entire assembly will be withdrawn. When the casket is to be examined, it is necessary for the operator merely to reach under the base or pedestal and rock the cranks 18 so that the locks will be released from the cover, whereupon the covermay be raised from the base. i

It will be readily noted that I have provided an exceedingly simple lock which may be applied to the vaults at a very low cost and which will automatically operate to securely hold the vault body or cover upon its pedestal. The lock will maintain the cover upon the pedestal during shipment but may be easily shifted to release the cover when an interment is to be made. 1

. Having thus described the invention, I claim:,

1. Means for locking a cover upon a rela tively stationary'hollow member, said means comprising a locking body pivotally mounted on aside of the hollow member to swing in a'plane parallel with said side and project therefrom to engage the cover, said body having an eccentric recess therein open to the side of the hollow member, and a rock shaft journaled in the side of the: hollow member and having a crank at its outer .end disposed in the recess in the locking body to. engage a side of said recess and provided-with a handle at its inner member. V

' 2. Means for looking a cover upon a relatively stationary hollowmember, said means comprising a locking body pivotally mounted on the outer side of the body of the hollow member and constructed to project therefrom and-engage the cover whereby to hold the cover to the hollow member, yieldable means for holding the locking body in engagement with the cover, and a rock shaft mounted in and extending through a side of the hollow body and provided with a crank at one end in operative engagement with the locking body and havingeits opposite end disposed within' the hollow member whereby it may be manipulated to release the locking body from the cover.

3. Means for locking a cover upon a rela-' tively stationary hollow member, said means comprising a locking body pivoted at its upper end upon the hollow member and having a chamber below its pivot eccentric thereto and further provided with an arouate recess in its lower'portion, a lug on the hollow member projecting into said recess, an expansion spring housed within the recess and bearing between said lug and an end of the recess to yieldably project the locking body into engagement with the cover, and a rock shaft journaled in a sideof end :within the hollow CLARENCE J. WEGNER. 

